Carless Petrol Co became Carless Capel & Leonard and is still one of the oldest petrol companies. The name "Petrol" was originally their trademark before it came into general usage . They trade today as Petrolchem Carless.

Carless Petrol Co became Carless Capel & Leonard and is still one of the oldest petrol companies. The name "Petrol" was originally their trademark before it came into general usage . They trade today as Petrolchem Carless.

That's interesting. I presume though the word is a shortening of 'petroleum'.... but wait, I just searched and found this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petroleum, which says that petroleum is a naturally occurring oil that issues from rocks. The word means 'Rock Oil'. So what was used in engines is, (was) a derivative of 'Petroleum', or maybe 'Petroleum Spirit'.

Plan on signing up for the world-wide 2020 DISTINGUISHED GENTLEMAN'S RIDEon September 27, 2020 (if it's not cancelled and we are free to move about by then). Watch website at https://www.gentlemansride.com for details.

Inspite of what wikipedia states, 50 yrs ago when speaking to Mr Leonard (grandson of one of the founders), he insisted to me that a trademark was granted but dropped because "Petrol" was in such universal usage.